This invention is directed to the prior art of fishing in general, and specifically to the provision of a buoyant container or basket which is adapted to float upon water and contain articles therein which are particularly adapted for use by fishermen wading in streams, rivers, lakes, oceans or the like.
Typically, lake, pond and "surf" fishermen can be observed fishing "from shore," so to speak, and these fishermen generally walk to different positions as conditions dictate. Fishermen not only carry their fishing rods, but also carry bait and/or artificial lures, perhaps an extra fishing rod, hooks, extra line, sinkers, extra reels, food to eat and liquid to drink, etc. Some or all of this can be packed into a fishing box or fishing vest and little difficulty is presented during movement of a fisherman along a river or lake bank or while walking the shore. A very popular approach to fishing, be it bait casting, spin casting or fly fishing is so-called "wading" or "wet wading." As the names imply, a "wading" fisherman simply walks into the water at one point from the shore, fishes a length of water, particularly a river from pool-to-pool or riffle-to-riffle, etc., and eventually returns to shore. Obviously, it is impractical for a wading fisherman to leave his fishing supplies on shore, walk out into the river, fish, and return to shore each time he wishes to move on to a new fishing area. Having long since recognized this impractical approach, wading fishermen generally "go light" and carry everything possible in the way of bait, extra lines, leaders, drinks and sandwiches, etc. in fishing vests which they wear, "fanny packs" or backpacks, etc. However, when wading for a considerable length of time, particularly during hot weather, the wearing of vests, backpacks, etc. is not only cumbersome, it is uncomfortable. It is also very difficult for a wading fisherman to carry an extra fishing rod, assembled or not, or to rest as he might typically do on shore by leaning his rod against a tree and relaxing his arms momentarily. When in the middle of a river in waist-high water, there is simply nowhere to "rest" a fishing rod safely unless one were near protruding boulders, logs or like flotsam. Carrying an extra rod by a wading fisherman is generally accomplished by inserting the butt end or handle into the fisherman's back pocket or between the small of his back and his belt with the tip pointing upwardly and tethered by a cord encompassing his upper body. This is particularly inconvenient for fly fishermen since the upwardly projecting tip of the extra rod is a hazard as the fly-line is moving between forward and backward loops. Accordingly, a wading fisherman would prefer to have in hand and accessible all necessary fishing supplies while he is in mid-river or the like, yet be assured that these do not encumber or interfere with his fishing.